Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. Let’s go !

1 Thessalonians 5:1-8 (NIV)
1  Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
2  for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3  While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4  But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
5  You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6  So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
7  For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
8  But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

On verse 1-8:  Jesus is returning one day. The question is not if, but when, He will return. The best way you can prepare for Jesus’ return is not by trying to figure out the exact date and time of His return — something which Jesus Himself says He doesn’t know (Mark 13:32) and something which Paul says he won’t bother writing about (v1).  Rather, the best way to prepare for Jesus’ return is by living a life of faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ every day.

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13.  Let’s go!

1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 (NIV)
1  So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.
2  We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
3  so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them.
4  In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.
5  For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.
 
On verses 1-5:  From this passage we get an inside look into what makes a pastor’s heart beat.  First, we learn that a pastor is concerned for the well-being of the church.  Notice that in verses 1 and 5, Paul repeats these words, “When we/I could stand it no longer”.  Paul here is talking about the pain of being separated from his spiritual family in Thessalonica and not being able to know how the church was doing.  So what did Paul do? He sent his spiritual son and disciple, Timothy, to the Thessalonian believers to find out how they are doing (v2).  

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Thessalonians 2:13-20.  Let’s go!

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 (NIV)
13  And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
14  For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews,
15  who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men
16  in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

On verses 13-16:  In these verses Paul praises his church in Thessalonica for two things: (1) the way they received the Word of God from Paul’s preaching (v13); and (2) the way they persevered in their faith despite great trials and opposition (v14-16).  
From these verses we can learn the following: